Double-Post Monday

Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Today's offerings include Black Bean Soup and Spicy Orange Chicken That's Better Than Take-Out. Enjoy!

BAKED HAM WITH BROWN SUGAR GLAZE

This is from FamilyTime, and begins, “Perfect for any gathering, glazed baked ham is the centerpiece of a holiday feast, elegant brunch or birthday dinner.” Serves: 12; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 2 hours 35 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

6 to 8 pounds fully cooked smoked bone-in ham

Whole cloves, if desired

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, or cider vinegar

1/2 - teaspoon ground mustard

Orange slices, if desired

Maraschino cherries, if desired

Directions

Heat oven to 325ºF.

Place ham, fat side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of ham and does not touch bone or rest in fat. Cover loosely and bake 1 1/4 to 2 1/4 hours or until thermometer reads 135°F (13 to 17 minutes per pound).

About 20 minutes before ham is done, remove from oven. Pour drippings from pan. Remove any skin from ham. Cut uniform diamond shapes on fat surface of ham. Insert clove into each diamond. Stir together brown sugar, vinegar and mustard; pat or brush on ham. Bake uncovered 20 minutes longer.

Cover ham and let stand about 10 minutes or until thermometer reads 140°F. Garnish with orange slices and cherries.

SUPERNATURAL BROWNIES

This is from Julia Moskin in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, “This recipe is an accidental creation by Nick Malgieri, who (in a rare human moment for a pastry chef) once forgot to double the flour when baking his own fudge brownie recipe. He also adds a measure of brown sugar to the basic formula. The experts are divided as to whether the brown sugar actually contributes flavor or simply makes the brownie moister (molasses, which makes brown sugar brown, is powerfully hydrophilic). It’s my belief that the slightly bitter taste of molasses acts as an invisible enhancer to the chocolate. The result is as complex and sophisticated as any terrine or truffle I have ever produced.”

Yield: 15 large or 24 small brownies; Time: About 1 hour

This was featured in “Simple Pleasure, American Style”, and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

2 sticks (16 tablespoons) butter, more for pan and parchment paper

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate

1 cup dark brown sugar, such as muscovado

1 cup granulated sugar

4 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup flour

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or 3/4 cup whole walnuts, optional

Preparation

Butter a 13-by-9-inch baking pan and line with buttered parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In top of a double boiler set over barely simmering water, or on low power in a microwave, melt butter, chocolate and sugars together. Cool slightly. In a large bowl or mixer, whisk eggs. Whisk in salt and vanilla.

Whisk in chocolate mixture. Fold in flour just until combined. If using chopped walnuts, stir them in. Pour batter into prepared pan. If using whole walnuts, arrange on top of batter. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until shiny and beginning to crack on top. Cool in pan on rack.

Tip

For best flavor, bake 1 day before serving, let cool and store, tightly wrapped.

SPICE ORANGE CHICKEN THAT'S BETTER THAN TAKE-OUT

This comes from Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD on Very Well. Kaleigh's website, Lively Table, is full of wonderful recipes.

Kaleigh wrote, "Chinese takeout is notorious for being full of sodium. Between the sugar and sodium-laden sauces, breaded meat, egg rolls, and fried rice, a takeout meal can quickly add up when it comes to saturated fat and salt. A better option is to make your own at home. It may seem intimidating at first, but it's actually pretty easy and doesn't require too many ingredients.

"This recipe for spicy orange chicken uses fresh orange juice, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes for tons of flavor without added sugar or salt. The only sodium comes from a little bit of reduced-sodium soy sauce, which research shows can actually reduce the amount of sodium in dishes without affecting flavor. Searing the chicken instead of breading and frying it and adding plenty of carrots makes this dish even more virtuous.

"Serve this dish with a side of cooked brown rice or quinoa and top with sliced green onions and red pepper flakes for a super-easy version of takeout that is much healthier. It all comes together in less than 30 minutes—perfect for weeknight dinner!"

To view this online, click here.

Total Time: 25 min; Prep: 10 min; Cook: 15 min; Yield: 2 servings (400 calories each)

Ingredients

3/4 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed (from about 2 medium oranges)

zest from 1/2 an orange

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

2 cloves garlic

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 boneless skinless chicken breast (8 ounces), cut into 1-inch cubes

2 medium carrots, thinly sliced

1 cup cooked brown rice or quinoa

2 sliced green onion

red pepper flakes, to taste

Preparation

In a medium bowl, whisk together sauce ingredients. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken, stirring occasionally so that all sides get browned. Once chicken has browned, add carrots and cook, stirring, until carrots are softened, about 5 minutes.

Pour in sauce and cook until sauce is thickened, 3 to 5 more minutes.

Spoon into bowls with rice or quinoa and sprinkle with green onions and red pepper flakes.

Ingredient Variations and Substitutions

To bulk up this dish even more, add more veggies like broccoli, snow peas, or cabbage.

For a gluten-free version, use low-sodium tamari instead of soy sauce, or look for gluten-free soy sauce.

For a grain-free version, use low-sodium tamari instead of soy sauce or arrowroot (or tapioca) starch instead of cornstarch and serve with cauliflower “rice."

Cooking and Serving Tips

This dish comes together quickly, so make sure your ingredients are chopped and prepped ahead of time to make cooking go more smoothly.

PEACH AND BLUEBERRY TART WITH PECAN CRUST

This recipe, as well as the next one (Blueberry-Pomegranate Smoothie), was found in an article on Prevention, titled “11 Recipes with Fresh Blueberries.” Click here to see the article and all twelve recipes.

SERVINGS: 8

Crust

1 cup pecan halves

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

2 tsp freshly grated lemon zest

1/8 tsp salt

1 egg white, beaten

2 Tbsp canola oil

1/2 Tbsp cold water

Filling

3/4 cup all-fruit peach preserves

1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 1/4 pounds ripe but firm peaches, sliced

3/4 cup fresh blueberries

Topping

1 cup fat-free Greek-style yogurt

3 Tbsp wildflower honey

To Prepare the Crust: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat a 10" fluted removable bottom tart pan or springform pan with cooking spray.

Set aside 8 pecan halves. Place the remaining pecans in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade or a blender. Process until finely ground. Add the flour, lemon zest, and salt. Process briefly to blend. Combine the egg white, oil, and water in a measuring cup. With the machine running, drizzle the liquid mixture into the bowl. Add up to 1 tablespoon water if needed. Turn off the machine as soon as the ingredients start to bind together.

Turn the mixture onto a lightly floured work surface. Pat into a disk (the mixture will be soft). Transfer to the bottom of the prepared pan. Press into the bottom and 1/2" up the side. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

To Prepare the Filling: Combine the preserves and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add the peaches and blueberries and toss gently to mix. Spoon into the prepared crust. Bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes or until the juices are bubbling. Place pan on a rack to cool completely.

To Prepare the Topping: Whisk the yogurt with the honey in a bowl. Spoon on top of each serving and top with a reserved pecan half.

NUTRITION (per serving) 322 calories, 6 g protein, 44 g carbohydrates, 15 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 1 mg cholesterol, 52 mg sodium, 3 g fiber

BLUEBERRY-POMEGRANATE SMOOTHIE

SERVINGS: 1

2/3 cup frozen blueberries (unthawed)

1/2 cup fat-free French vanilla yogurt (we used Stonyfield)

1/3 cup vanilla soy milk

1/4 cup pomegranate juice

Put 2/3 cup frozen blueberries (unthawed, 1/2 cup yogurt, 1/3 cup soy milk, and 1/4 cup pomegranate juice into a blender.

Blend on high speed until smooth.

NUTRITION (per serving) 226.8 cal, 9.2 g pro, 44.9 g carb, 3 g fiber, 2 g fat, 0.3 g sat fat, 123.4 mg sodium

BLACK BEAN SOUP

This is from Rian Handler on Delish. The recipe begins, “A warm and spicy black bean soup.”

Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 4 servings

To view the recipe online, click here.

Ingredients

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp. minced jalapeños

1 tbsp. tomato paste

kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. cumin

3 (15-oz.) cans black beans, with liquid

1 qt. low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock

1 bay leaf

sour cream, for garnish

Sliced avocado, for garnish

Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Directions

In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add jalapeños and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomato paste, stir to coat vegetables, and cook about a minute more. Season with salt, pepper, chili powder, and cumin and stir to coat.

Add black beans with their liquid and chicken broth. Stir soup, add bay leaf and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce to a simmer and let simmer until slightly reduced, about 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

Using an immersion blender or food processor, blend the soup to desired consistency.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream, sliced avocado, and cilantro.